More on evangelical antinomianism

Bronson

Active member
The word antinomianism comes from two Greek words, anti, meaning "against"; and nomos, meaning "law." Antinomianism means “against the law.” Theologically, antinomianism is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey. Antinomianism takes a biblical teaching to an unbiblical conclusion. The biblical teaching is that Christians are not required to observe the Old Testament Law as a means of salvation. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the Old Testament Law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15). The unbiblical conclusion is that there is no moral law God expects Christians to obey.

The apostle Paul dealt with the issue of antinomianism in Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” The most frequent attack on the doctrine of salvation by grace alone is that it encourages sin. People may wonder, “If I am saved by grace and all my sins are forgiven, why not sin all I want?” That thinking is not the result of true conversion because true conversion yields a greater desire to obey, not a lesser one. God’s desire—and our desire when we are regenerated by His Spirit—is that we strive not to sin. Out of gratitude for His grace and forgiveness, we want to please Him. God has given us His infinitely gracious gift in salvation through Jesus (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Our response is to consecrate our lives to Him out of love, worship, and gratitude for what He has done for us (Romans 12:1-2). Antinomianism is unbiblical in that it misapplies the meaning of God’s gracious favor.

A second reason that antinomianism is unbiblical is that there is a moral law God expects us to obey. First John 5:3 tells us, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.” What is this law God expects us to obey? It is the law of Christ – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). No, we are not under the Old Testament Law. Yes, we are under the law of Christ. The law of Christ is not an extensive list of legal codes. It is a law of love. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will do nothing to displease Him. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will do nothing to harm them. Obeying the law of Christ is not a requirement to earn or maintain salvation. The law of Christ is what God expects of a Christian.

Antinomianism is contrary to everything the Bible teaches. God expects us to live a life of morality, integrity, and love. Jesus Christ freed us from the burdensome commands of the Old Testament Law, but that is not a license to sin. Rather, it is a covenant of grace. We are to strive to overcome sin and cultivate righteousness, depending on the Holy Spirit to help us. The fact that we are graciously freed from the demands of the Old Testament Law should result in our living our lives in obedience to the law of Christ. First John 2:3-6 declares, “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”
From got?
 
The word antinomianism comes from two Greek words, anti, meaning "against"; and nomos, meaning "law." Antinomianism means “against the law.” Theologically, antinomianism is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey. Antinomianism takes a biblical teaching to an unbiblical conclusion. The biblical teaching is that Christians are not required to observe the Old Testament Law as a means of salvation. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the Old Testament Law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15). The unbiblical conclusion is that there is no moral law God expects Christians to obey.

The apostle Paul dealt with the issue of antinomianism in Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” The most frequent attack on the doctrine of salvation by grace alone is that it encourages sin. People may wonder, “If I am saved by grace and all my sins are forgiven, why not sin all I want?” That thinking is not the result of true conversion because true conversion yields a greater desire to obey, not a lesser one. God’s desire—and our desire when we are regenerated by His Spirit—is that we strive not to sin. Out of gratitude for His grace and forgiveness, we want to please Him. God has given us His infinitely gracious gift in salvation through Jesus (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Our response is to consecrate our lives to Him out of love, worship, and gratitude for what He has done for us (Romans 12:1-2). Antinomianism is unbiblical in that it misapplies the meaning of God’s gracious favor.

A second reason that antinomianism is unbiblical is that there is a moral law God expects us to obey. First John 5:3 tells us, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.” What is this law God expects us to obey? It is the law of Christ – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). No, we are not under the Old Testament Law. Yes, we are under the law of Christ. The law of Christ is not an extensive list of legal codes. It is a law of love. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will do nothing to displease Him. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will do nothing to harm them. Obeying the law of Christ is not a requirement to earn or maintain salvation. The law of Christ is what God expects of a Christian.

Antinomianism is contrary to everything the Bible teaches. God expects us to live a life of morality, integrity, and love. Jesus Christ freed us from the burdensome commands of the Old Testament Law, but that is not a license to sin. Rather, it is a covenant of grace. We are to strive to overcome sin and cultivate righteousness, depending on the Holy Spirit to help us. The fact that we are graciously freed from the demands of the Old Testament Law should result in our living our lives in obedience to the law of Christ. First John 2:3-6 declares, “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”
From got?

Challenge.......

1. Can you show me morality, integrity and love in the law of Moses?

While I agree that there are standards for those who serve God, I disagree that any man has a right to establish morality when we all serve Jesus Christ. He alone gets to dictate our morality, integrity and love for Him and one another.

There is no written law that can possibly explain this "type" of direction. It is Divine and written in our hearts through the "New Birth". It is not found in oridiances nor tradition. It is not found in canons or synods. Such requires a direct Priestly connection to God through Jesus Christ.

2. When it comes to "morality/integrity".....what might be okay for me, might NOT be okay for you. "

3. The message of the Gospel is NOT asking others to seek morality in the law. No. That is a false Gospel. The message of the Gospel is....

ALL ARE GUILTY. This is not how humanity deals with any law. They see themselves keeping the law while all others are failing. This creates Pharisees in the assembly.

Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Our message is UNIVERSAL GUILT... and Atonement through Jesus Christ.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
 
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God's law never changed....

but the law of sin and death (this current reality)
will end


finally...
 
By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

OP ends up saying things like "God expects" and "you should."

We all SHOULD do things we don't. So how close to perfection is good enough?

I think people are confusing anti-nomianism with anti-sanctification, and underneath is the implicit assumption:

"Only the Law can make you Holy."

What about grace—

Amazing Law, how sweet the sound, that saved a saint like me!
 
By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

OP ends up saying things like "God expects" and "you should."

We all SHOULD do things we don't. So how close to perfection is good enough?

I think people are confusing anti-nomianism with anti-sanctification, and underneath is the implicit assumption:

"Only the Law can make you Holy."

What about grace—

Amazing Law, how sweet the sound, that saved a saint like me!
What about the call, , the command, the imperative to be holy ?

Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 Peter 1:14-15

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart,for they will see God.

Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

hope this helps !!!
 
What about the call, , the command, the imperative to be holy ?

Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 Peter 1:14-15

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart,for they will see God.

Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

hope this helps !!!

Not saying anything you don't already know. In review, there is no holiness to be found in the flesh. Flesh is destined for death. Only the death of the Holy One, Jesus Christ has created a scenario wherein the death of the flesh and the new creature will be joined in perfection when Jesus comes to gather His pearls to Himself. Not before.

The flesh is weak. Yet we find strength in Spirit of God.

There is conflict here. A conflict that rages all our lives. As newborn children, just like we are naturally in flesh, we do not have the ability to please God. Even when we "obey".... as children.... it is not OUR own will to obey. We are rebels. We must learn. Often times we must see the result of our suffering to consider our own end and the worthlessness of sin. This process is difficult. It is not pleasant. We know this from experience and the Scriptures. God's children are identified by SURVIVING chastening.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

This process is not joyous but grievous.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

We also have the issue of others trying to take the place of our Heavenly Father.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

They seek to bend our wills to their own. Often times, they are successful.

Given the condition of this current age and the demands of men upon others at every turn,...... often times..... Those demanding maturity are nothing more than babies themselves.

Thank God for mercy. The standard doesn't change but we certain do.
 
The biblical teaching is that Christians are not required to observe the Old Testament Law as a means of salvation.

Our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21) and sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), so the experience of living in obedience to it through faith in Jesus is intrinsically the content of His gift of saving us from not living in obedience to it. In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and good, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so we do not earn our salvation as a wage as the result of having done those works and we do not need to do those works as the result of having been saved, but rather God graciously teaching us to experience those works is itself the content of His gift of saving us from the experience of not doing those works. Furthermore, in Titus 2:14, it does not say that Jesus gave himself to free us from any laws, but in order to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works, so becoming zealous for doing good works in obedience to God's law is the way to believe in what Christ accomplished through the cross (Acts 21:20).

The content of a gift can be the experience of doing something, such as giving someone the opportunity to experience driving a Ferrari for an hour, where that experience requires them to do the work of driving in order to have it, but where doing that works has nothing to do with earning the opportunity to experience it. Similarly, the content the content of God's gift of eternal life is the experience of knowing Him and Jesus (John 17:3) and the gift of God's law is His instructions for how to have that experience. In Exodus 33:13, Moses wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to walk in His way that he might know Him and Israel too, and in Matthew 7:23, Jesus said that he would tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him because he never knew them, so knowing God and Jesus is the goal of the law.

When Jesus died on the cross, He fulfilled the Old Testament Law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15).

In Romans 9:30-10:4, the Israelites had a zeal for God, but it was not based on knowing Him, so they failed to attain righteousness because they pursued the law as through righteousness were earned as as a wage the result of their works in order to establish their own rather than pursuing the law as though righteousness were by faith in Christ, for knowing Christ is the goal of the law for righteousness for everyone who has faith. In Romans 10:5-10, this faith references Deuteronomy 30:11-16 as the word of faith that we proclaim that God's law is not too difficult to obey, that the one who obeys it will attain life by it, in regard to what we are agreeing to obey by confessing that Jesus is Lord, and in regard to the way to believe that God rose him from the dead. So nothing in these verses has anything to do with ending any of God's laws/

In regard to Galatians 3:23-25, God's law leads us to Christ because it is God's instructions for how to experience knowing him, but does not lead us to Christ so that we can then reject everything he taught and go back to living in sin.

In regard to Ephesians 2:15, the Greek word "dogma" is used five times in the NT, twice in regard to a decree of Caesar (Luke 2:1, Acts 17:7), and once in regard to a decree of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 16:4), so justification needs to be given for why its use in Ephesians 2:15 should be interpreted as referring to any of God's laws, especially in light of the fact that all of God's laws are eternal.

"To fulfill the law" means "to cause God's will (as made know by the law) to be obeyed as it should be (NAS Greek Lexicon). After Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law in Matthew 5, he then proceeded to fulfill it six times throughout the rest of the chapter by teaching how to correctly obey it and he did not say anything about dying on the cross.

People may wonder, “If I am saved by grace and all my sins are forgiven, why not sin all I want?”

In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness by setting God's law before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith. In Genesis 6:8-9, Noah found grace in the eyes of God, he was a righteous man, and he walked with God, so God was gracious to him by teaching him how to walk in His way in obedience to His law and he was righteous because he obeyed through faith. In Romans 1:5, we have received grace in order to bring about the obedience of faith.

What is this law God expects us to obey? It is the law of Christ – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). No, we are not under the Old Testament Law. Yes, we are under the law of Christ. The law of Christ is not an extensive list of legal codes. It is a law of love. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will do nothing to displease Him. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will do nothing to harm them.

If we love God and our neighbor, then we won't commit adultery, theft, murder, idolatry, rape, favoritism, kidnapping, and so forth for everything else commanded in in the OT, so the reason why all of the other commandments hang on the greatest two is because they are all examples of how to correctly obey them. As such, it is contradictory to think that we are under the greatest two commandments, but not under OT law.

In Matthew 4:17-23, Christ began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, and God's law is how his audience knew what sin is (Romans 3:20), so repenting from our disobedience to it is a central part of the Gospel message. Furthermore, Christ set a sinless example of how to walk in obedience to God's law, and we are told to follow his example (1 Peter 2:21-22) and that those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked. So Christ spent his ministry teaching his followers how to bey God's law by word and by example and the Law of Christ is not something other than or contrary to what Christ taught. In Matthew 22:12-14, Christ said that because of lawlessness the love of man will grow cold, so we can't obey God's command to love and not His other commands for how to love. In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, the way to obey the greatest commandment is by having God's law on our heart and speaking about it and teaching it throughout the day, so what Jesus was instructing us to do in Mark 12:29-31 by quoting that passage should not be interpreted as meaning something different from what God was instructing the Israelites to do in that passage.

Antinomianism is contrary to everything the Bible teaches.
Agreed.

God expects us to live a life of morality, integrity, and love.
The Bible makes no attempt to distinguish between which laws are moral or not and never refers to a subset of laws as being the moral law Rather, morality is in regard to what we ought to do and we ought to obey God, so all of God's laws are inherently moral laws. All legislators give laws according to what they think ought to be done, though only God objectively knows what ought to be done. For someone to claim that some of God's laws are not moral laws is to claim that God made a moral error by commanding to do what ought not to be done, which is claiming to have greater moral knowledge than God.

Jesus Christ freed us from the burdensome commands of the Old Testament Law, but that is not a license to sin. Rather, it is a covenant of grace. We are to strive to overcome sin and cultivate righteousness, depending on the Holy Spirit to help us. The fact that we are graciously freed from the demands of the Old Testament Law should result in our living our lives in obedience to the law of Christ. First John 2:3-6 declares, “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

According to 1 John 5:3, God did not give any burdensome commands in the OT. In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, God's law is not too difficult for us to obey and obedience to it brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse, so choose life! According to Exodus 33:13 and Psalms 119:29, the Mosaic Covenant is also a covenant of grace, and according to Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant is also a covenant of law. Furthermore, they wanted God to be gracious to them by teaching them to obey His law, but you want God to be gracious to you by freeing you from it. If Jesus had freed us from any laws, then that would have been a license to do what they reveal to be sin. In 1 John 2:2-6, those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked, and he walked in obedience to God's law, and God's law is His instructions for how to know Him and Jesus, which is why those who say that they know Jesus, but don't obey his commands are liars.
 
By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

OP ends up saying things like "God expects" and "you should."

We all SHOULD do things we don't. So how close to perfection is good enough?

I think people are confusing anti-nomianism with anti-sanctification, and underneath is the implicit assumption:

"Only the Law can make you Holy."

What about grace—

Amazing Law, how sweet the sound, that saved a saint like me!
We can't earn our justification by obeying God's law even if we could manage to have perfect obedience (Romans 4:1-5), so that was never the goal of why we should obey God's law, so it is not about getting close enough to perfection to be good enough. In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness by setting God's law before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.
 
Challenge.......
PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW

Paul follows Jesus' understanding of the relationship between the Old Covenant and His New Covenant. This is clearly seen in
Matthew 5:17-19, affirmation of the inspiration and eternality of OT revelation.
Matthew 5:21-48, affirmation of the superiority of Jesus' words as ultimate revelation from YHWH. He clarifies and reinterprets both
the law of Moses, vv. 31-32
the Oral Traditions of the Jews
He also intensifies the prohibitions from the act to the thought

The Mosaic Law is good and is from God (cf. Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 7:12,16). Galatians 3 is a major NT text on how the OT functions in the New Age.

It is not the way to righteousness and acceptance by God (it can even be a curse, cf. Gal. 3:13).

It is still God's will for believers because it is God's self-revelation (cf. Matt. 5:17-19,-

Paul often quotes the OT to convict and/or encourage believers). It functions in sanctification, not justification!

Believers are informed by the OT (cf. Rom. 4:23-24; 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6,11), but not saved by the OT (cf. Acts 15; Romans 4; Galatians 3; the book of Hebrews).

It functions in the New Covenant to:

show sinfulness (cf. Gal. 3:15-29)

guide redeemed mankind in society

inform Christian ethical decisions

 It is this theological spectrum related to the Law, from cursing (cf. Gal. 3:10-13) and passing away to blessing and permanency that causes the problem in trying to understand Paul's view of the Mosaic Law. In A Man in Christ, James Stewart shows Paul's paradoxical thinking and writing:

 "You would normally expect a man who was setting himself to construct a system of thought and doctrine to fix as rigidly as possible the meanings of the terms he employed. You would expect him to aim at precision in the phraseology of his leading ideas. You would demand that a word, once used by your writer in a particular sense, should bear that sense throughout.

But to look for this from Paul is to be disappointed. Much of his phraseology is fluid, not rigid. . . 'The law is holy' he writes, 'I delight in the law of God after the inward man' (cf. Rom. 7:12,22) but it is clearly another aspect of nomos that makes him say elsewhere, 'Christ had redeemed us from the curse of the law' (cf. Gal. 3:13)" (p. 26).

From 2 Cor. 3:7-11, Paul discusses Exod. 34:23-35. In v. 13 he compares the OT vs. NT using Moses' veil

Paul makes several comparisons between Moses' covenant and Jesus' covenant.
the Lord of Exodus = the Spirit of Jesus

only Moses could approach God intimately versus all believers in Christ can approach God

Moses' glory faded versus Jesus' glory never fades

Moses' followers cannot see Christ in the OT versus Jesus' followers through the Spirit can correctly interpret the OT in light of Christ

Moses brought the bondage of performance versus Christ brings the freedom of grace

the letter of the Mosaic Law brings death versus the Spirit of the New Covenant brings life, life eternal, life abundant

Moses' covenant was unable to produce a righteous people versus Jesus' covenant does produce righteous people (both objectively in justification and subjectively in sanctification),

From the theological outline of the book of Hebrews, one can clearly see the superiority of the NT over the OT, especially3:1-4:13; 4:4-5:10
Heb. 1:1-3
Heb. 1:4-2:18
Heb. 3:1-4:13;
4:14-5:10
Heb. 6:13-7:28
Heb. 5:11-6:12
Heb. 8:1-10:18
Heb. 10:19-13:25  Superiority of the Son over the prophets
 Superiority of the Son over the angels
 Superiority of the Son over the Mosaic Covenant

 Superiority of the Son over the Aaronic Priesthood
 Superiority of the believing Jews over the unbelieving Jews
 Superiority of the Son over the procedures of the Mosaic Covenant
 Superiority of the Son advocated and revealed in believers
For me, there are several main texts that drive my understanding of the relationship between the two Covenants of YHWH (listed at II. C.).

Thank God for His self-revelation through Abraham and his descendants; Jesus has fulfilled and over flowed this revelation. He has opened the door for all people . Now we must view the OT through the lens of Jesus' ultimate revelation.

The NT is not about Israel, but about Jesus! Neither Jesus or any Apostles reaffirm an OT national promise to Israel!

-but I do agree with your statement re morals.

J.
 
We can't earn our justification by obeying God's law even if we could manage to have perfect obedience (Romans 4:1-5), so that was never the goal of why we should obey God's law, so it is not about getting close enough to perfection to be good enough. In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness by setting God's law before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

Imagine a man cutting the roots off all his plants, then declaring loudly, "the purpose of these plants is fruit!"

Putting people back under bondage to the Law, is cutting off their roots to grow anything.

It is when we come out from under the Law that we bear the most fruits of holiness.


Because the Law is a self-righteous system of self-production, that never produces good in a sinner.

But what we must do, is separate the means from the ends, and stop conflating the two as if they are one.

Now, under grace, we produce the holy fruits the Law demands without needing to put ourselves under it.
 
PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW

Paul follows Jesus' understanding of the relationship between the Old Covenant and His New Covenant. This is clearly seen in
Matthew 5:17-19, affirmation of the inspiration and eternality of OT revelation.
Matthew 5:21-48, affirmation of the superiority of Jesus' words as ultimate revelation from YHWH. He clarifies and reinterprets both
the law of Moses, vv. 31-32
the Oral Traditions of the Jews
He also intensifies the prohibitions from the act to the thought.
When Jesus quoted what from what is written in Scripture in Matthew 4, he preceded it by saying "it is written...", but when he was quoting from what the people had heard being said in Matthew 5, he proceeded it by saying "you have heard that it was said...", so his emphasis on the different form of communication is important. In Deuteronomy 4:2, it prohibits adding to or subtracting from God's law so he was not making changes to or intensifying it, but rather he was fulfilling the law by correcting what the people had heard being wrongly taught about it and teaching how to correctly obey it as it was originally intended. For example, if we correctly understand what is being commanded by the 7th and 10th Commandments against adultery and against coveting in our hearts, then we will not lust after a married woman in our hearts.

The Mosaic Law is good and is from God (cf. Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 7:12,16). Galatians 3 is a major NT text on how the OT functions in the New Age.

It is not the way to righteousness and acceptance by God (it can even be a curse, cf. Gal. 3:13).
To become righteous means to become someone who practices righteousness and the way to become righteous is through faith, not earned as the result of having practiced righteousness. God's law is His instructions for how to practice righteousness, not for how to become righteous. In Deuteronomy 27-28, it lists the blessing of relying on God's law and the curse of not relying on it, so freeing us from the curse of the law is freeing us to enjoy the blessing of relying on it.


It is still God's will for believers because it is God's self-revelation (cf. Matt. 5:17-19,-

Paul often quotes the OT to convict and/or encourage believers). It functions in sanctification, not justification!

Believers are informed by the OT (cf. Rom. 4:23-24; 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6,11), but not saved by the OT (cf. Acts 15; Romans 4; Galatians 3; the book of Hebrews).

It functions in the New Covenant to:

show sinfulness (cf. Gal. 3:15-29)

guide redeemed mankind in society

inform Christian ethical decisions

 It is this theological spectrum related to the Law, from cursing (cf. Gal. 3:10-13) and passing away to blessing and permanency that causes the problem in trying to understand Paul's view of the Mosaic Law. In A Man in Christ, James Stewart shows Paul's paradoxical thinking and writing:

 "You would normally expect a man who was setting himself to construct a system of thought and doctrine to fix as rigidly as possible the meanings of the terms he employed. You would expect him to aim at precision in the phraseology of his leading ideas. You would demand that a word, once used by your writer in a particular sense, should bear that sense throughout.

But to look for this from Paul is to be disappointed. Much of his phraseology is fluid, not rigid. . . 'The law is holy' he writes, 'I delight in the law of God after the inward man' (cf. Rom. 7:12,22) but it is clearly another aspect of nomos that makes him say elsewhere, 'Christ had redeemed us from the curse of the law' (cf. Gal. 3:13)" (p. 26).

From 2 Cor. 3:7-11, Paul discusses Exod. 34:23-35. In v. 13 he compares the OT vs. NT using Moses' veil
The goal of everything in the Bible is to teach us how to live in a way that testifies about Christ. This was what the veil was preventing Jews from seeing, though it works both ways by preventing Christians from seeing the same thing.


Moses brought the bondage of performance versus Christ brings the freedom of grace
If God saved the Israelites out of bondage of Egypt in order to put them under bondage to the Torah, then it would be for bondage that God sets us free, however, Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that God sets us free. In Psalms 119:142, the Torah is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of the Torah that puts us in bondage while it is the truth that sets us free. In Psalms 119:29 and Exodus 33:13, they wanted God to be gracious to them by teaching them to walk in His way in obedience to the Torah.



the letter of the Mosaic Law brings death versus the Spirit of the New Covenant brings life, life eternal, life abundant
In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Torah brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the New Covenant involves the Spirit leading us to obey the Torah. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Torah on our minds and writing it in our hearts. There are many other verses that say similar things, so 2 Corinthians 3:6 needs to be interpreted in a way that is in accordance with them rather than a way that contradicts them. If obeying the letter refers to correctly doing what God has instructed, and if that leads to death, then God would be misleading us and shouldn't be trusted.

Moses' covenant was unable to produce a righteous people versus Jesus' covenant does produce righteous people (both objectively in justification and subjectively in sanctification),
In Luke 1:5-6, Zechariah and Elizabeth were described as righteous.

The NT is not about Israel, but about Jesus! Neither Jesus or any Apostles reaffirm an OT national promise to Israel!

-but I do agree with your statement re morals.

J.
The New Covenant is based on better promises and one of those promises is that Israel would never cease to be a nation before God (Jeremiah 31:35-37). In Galatians 3:16-19, a new covenant does not nullify the promises of a covenant that has already been ratified.
 
When Jesus quoted what from what is written in Scripture in Matthew 4, he preceded it by saying "it is written...", but when he was quoting from what the people had heard being said in Matthew 5, he proceeded it by saying "you have heard that it was said...", so his emphasis on the different form of communication is important. In Deuteronomy 4:2, it prohibits adding to or subtracting from God's law so he was not making changes to or intensifying it, but rather he was fulfilling the law by correcting what the people had heard being wrongly taught about it and teaching how to correctly obey it as it was originally intended. For example, if we correctly understand what is being commanded by the 7th and 10th Commandments against adultery and against coveting in our hearts, then we will not lust after a married woman in our hearts.


To become righteous means to become someone who practices righteousness and the way to become righteous is through faith, not earned as the result of having practiced righteousness. God's law is His instructions for how to practice righteousness, not for how to become righteous. In Deuteronomy 27-28, it lists the blessing of relying on God's law and the curse of not relying on it, so freeing us from the curse of the law is freeing us to enjoy the blessing of relying on it.



The goal of everything in the Bible is to teach us how to live in a way that testifies about Christ. This was what the veil was preventing Jews from seeing, though it works both ways by preventing Christians from seeing the same thing.



If God saved the Israelites out of bondage of Egypt in order to put them under bondage to the Torah, then it would be for bondage that God sets us free, however, Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that God sets us free. In Psalms 119:142, the Torah is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of the Torah that puts us in bondage while it is the truth that sets us free. In Psalms 119:29 and Exodus 33:13, they wanted God to be gracious to them by teaching them to walk in His way in obedience to the Torah.




In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Torah brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the New Covenant involves the Spirit leading us to obey the Torah. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Torah on our minds and writing it in our hearts. There are many other verses that say similar things, so 2 Corinthians 3:6 needs to be interpreted in a way that is in accordance with them rather than a way that contradicts them. If obeying the letter refers to correctly doing what God has instructed, and if that leads to death, then God would be misleading us and shouldn't be trusted.


In Luke 1:5-6, Zechariah and Elizabeth were described as righteous.


The New Covenant is based on better promises and one of those promises is that Israel would never cease to be a nation before God (Jeremiah 31:35-37). In Galatians 3:16-19, a new covenant does not nullify the promises of a covenant that has already been ratified.
Are you Messianic?
J.
 
In Luke 1:5-6, Zechariah and Elizabeth were described as righteous.
RIGHTEOUSNESS

"Righteousness" is such a crucial topic that a Bible student must make a personal extensive study of the concept.

In the OT God's character is described as "just" or "righteous" (verb, BDB 842, KB 1003; masculine noun, BDB 841, KB 1004; feminine noun, BDB 842, KB 1006). The Mesopotamian term itself comes from a "river reed" which was used as a construction tool to judge the horizontal straightness of walls and fences. God chose the term to be used metaphorically of His own nature. He is the straight edge (ruler) by which all things are evaluated. This concept asserts God's righteousness as well as His right to judge.

Man was created in the image of God (cf. Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1,3; 9:6). Mankind was created for fellowship with God (i.e., Gen. 3:8). All of creation is a stage or backdrop for God and mankind's interaction. God wanted His highest creation, mankind, to know Him, love Him, serve Him, and be like Him! Mankind's loyalty was tested (cf. Genesis 3) and the original couple failed the test. This resulted in a disruption of the relationship between God and humanity (cf. Rom. 5:12-21).

God promised to repair and restore the fellowship (cf. Gen. 3:15; see Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan). He does this through His own will and His own Son. Humans were incapable of restoring the breach (cf. Rom. 1:18-3:20; Revelation 5).

After the Fall, God's first step toward restoration was the concept of covenant based on His invitation and mankind's repentant, faithful, obedient response (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-38). Because of the Fall, humans were incapable of appropriate action (cf. Rom. 3:21-31; Galatians 3). God Himself had to take the initiative to restore covenant-breaking humans. He did this by

1. declaring mankind righteous through the work of Christ (i.e., forensic righteousness)

2. freely giving mankind righteousness through the work of Christ (i.e., imputed righteousness)

3. providing the indwelling Spirit who produces righteousness (i.e., Christlikeness, the restoration of the image of God) in mankind

4. restoring the fellowship of the Garden of Eden (compare Genesis 1-2 with Revelation 21-22)



However, God requires a covenantal response. God decrees (i.e., freely gives, i.e., Romans 5:8; 6:23) and provides, but humans must respond and continue to respond in

1. repentance

2. faith

3. lifestyle obedience

4. perseverance



Righteousness, therefore, is a covenantal, reciprocal action between God and His highest creation, based on the character of God, the work of Christ, and the enabling of the Spirit, to which each individual must personally and continually respond appropriately. The concept is called "justification by grace through faith" (i.e., Eph. 2:8-9). The concept is revealed in the Gospels, but not in these terms. It is primarily defined by Paul, who uses the Greek term "righteousness" in its various forms over 100 times.

Paul, being a trained rabbi, uses the term dikaiosunē in its Hebrew sense of the term tsaddiq used in the Septuagint, not from Greek literature. In Greek writings the term is connected to someone who conformed to the expectations of Deity and society (i.e., Noah, Job). In the Hebrew sense it is always structured in covenantal terms . YHWH is a just, ethical, moral God. He wants His people to reflect His character. Redeemed mankind becomes a new creature (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). This newness results in a new lifestyle of godliness (cf. Matthew 5-7; Gal. 5:22-24; James; 1 John). Since Israel was a theocracy there was no clear delineation between the secular (society's norms) and the sacred (God's will). This distinction is expressed in the Hebrew and Greek terms being translated into English as "justice" (relating to society) and "righteousness" (relating to religion).

The gospel (good news) of Jesus is that fallen mankind has been restored to fellowship with God. This has been accomplished through the Father's love, mercy, and grace; the Son's life, death, and resurrection; and the Spirit's wooing and drawing to the gospel. Justification is a free act of God, but it must issue in godliness (Augustine's position, which reflects both the Reformation emphasis on the freeness of the gospel and Roman Catholic emphasis on a changed life of love and faithfulness). For Reformers the term "the righteousness of God" is an objective genitive (i.e., the act of making sinful mankind acceptable to God [positional sanctification], while for the Catholics it is a subjective genitive, which is the process of becoming more like God [experiential progressive sanctification]. In reality it is surely both!!)

In my view all of the Bible from Genesis 4 – Revelation 20 is a record of God's restoring the fellowship of Eden. The Bible starts with God and mankind in fellowship in an earthly setting (cf. Genesis 1-2) and the Bible ends with the same setting (cf. Revelation 21-22). God's image and purpose will be restored!

To document the above discussions note the following selected NT passages illustrating the Greek word group.

1. God is righteous (often connected to God as Judge)

a. Romans 3:26

b. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-6

c. 2 Timothy 4:8

d. Revelation 16:5

2. Jesus is righteous

a. Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14 (title of Messiah)

b. Matthew 27:19

c. 1 John 2:1,29; 3:7

3. God's will for His creation is righteousness

a. Leviticus 19:2

b. Matthew 5:48 (cf. 5:17-20)

4. God's means of providing and producing righteousness

a. Romans 3:21-31

b. Romans 4

c. Romans 5:6-11

d. Galatians 3:6-14

5. Given by God

a. Romans 3:24; 6:23

b. 1 Corinthians 1:30

c. Ephesians 2:8-9

6. Received by faith

a. Romans 1:17; 3:22,26; 4:3,5,13; 9:30; 10:4,6,10

b. 2 Corinthians 5:7,21

7. Through acts of the Son

a. Romans 5:21

b. 2 Corinthians 5:21

c. Philippians 2:6-11

8. God's will is that His followers be righteous

a. Matthew 5:3-48; 7:24-27

b. Romans 2:13; 5:1-5; 6:1-23

c. Ephesians 1:4; 2:10

d. 1 Timothy 6:11

e. 2 Timothy 2:22; 3:16

f. 1 John 3:7

g. 1 Peter 2:24

9. God will judge the world by righteousness

a. Acts 17:31

b. 2 Timothy 4:8

Righteousness is a characteristic of God, freely given to sinful mankind through Christ. It is

1. a decree of God

2. a gift of God

3. an act of Christ

4. a life to be lived

But it is also a process of becoming righteous that must be vigorously and steadfastly pursued, which will one day be consummated at the Second Coming. Fellowship with God is restored at salvation but progresses throughout life to become a face-to-face encounter with Him (cf. 1 John 3:2) at death or the Parousia!

Here is a good quote to conclude this discussion. It is taken from Dictionary of Paul and His Letters from IVP

"Calvin, more so than Luther, emphasizes the relational aspect of the righteousness of God. Luther's view of the righteousness of God seems to contain the aspect of acquittal. Calvin emphasizes the marvelous nature of the communication or imparting of God's righteousness to us" (p. 834).



For me the believer's relationship to God has three aspects.

1. the gospel is a person (emphasis of the Eastern Church and Calvin)

2. the gospel is truth (emphasis of Augustine and Luther)

3. the gospel is a changed life (Catholic emphasis)



They are all true and must be held together for a healthy, sound, biblical Christianity. If any one is over emphasized or depreciated, problems occur.

We must welcome Jesus!

We must believe the gospel!

We must pursue Christlikeness!



Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International
 
Righteousness, peace, joy and the holy ghost, that's the kingdom of God.
Romans 14:17-18
The Spirit won’t let us off the hook—the Spirit will keep the main things the main things if we will listen and respond.
 
When Jesus quoted what from what is written in Scripture in Matthew 4, he preceded it by saying "it is written...", but when he was quoting from what the people had heard being said in Matthew 5, he proceeded it by saying "you have heard that it was said...", so his emphasis on the different form of communication is important. In Deuteronomy 4:2, it prohibits adding to or subtracting from God's law so he was not making changes to or intensifying it, but rather he was fulfilling the law by correcting what the people had heard being wrongly taught about it and teaching how to correctly obey it as it was originally intended. For example, if we correctly understand what is being commanded by the 7th and 10th Commandments against adultery and against coveting in our hearts, then we will not lust after a married woman in our hearts.


To become righteous means to become someone who practices righteousness and the way to become righteous is through faith, not earned as the result of having practiced righteousness. God's law is His instructions for how to practice righteousness, not for how to become righteous. In Deuteronomy 27-28, it lists the blessing of relying on God's law and the curse of not relying on it, so freeing us from the curse of the law is freeing us to enjoy the blessing of relying on it.



The goal of everything in the Bible is to teach us how to live in a way that testifies about Christ. This was what the veil was preventing Jews from seeing, though it works both ways by preventing Christians from seeing the same thing.



If God saved the Israelites out of bondage of Egypt in order to put them under bondage to the Torah, then it would be for bondage that God sets us free, however, Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that God sets us free. In Psalms 119:142, the Torah is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of the Torah that puts us in bondage while it is the truth that sets us free. In Psalms 119:29 and Exodus 33:13, they wanted God to be gracious to them by teaching them to walk in His way in obedience to the Torah.




In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Torah brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the New Covenant involves the Spirit leading us to obey the Torah. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Torah on our minds and writing it in our hearts. There are many other verses that say similar things, so 2 Corinthians 3:6 needs to be interpreted in a way that is in accordance with them rather than a way that contradicts them. If obeying the letter refers to correctly doing what God has instructed, and if that leads to death, then God would be misleading us and shouldn't be trusted.


In Luke 1:5-6, Zechariah and Elizabeth were described as righteous.


The New Covenant is based on better promises and one of those promises is that Israel would never cease to be a nation before God (Jeremiah 31:35-37). In Galatians 3:16-19, a new covenant does not nullify the promises of a covenant that has already been ratified.
The NT is based upon Christ Jesus, His death and resurrection and not ethnic YisraEl-

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Rom_2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom_2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.


Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Rom 10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Rom 10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Rom 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.



Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

J.
 
In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Torah brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the New Covenant involves the Spirit leading us to obey the Torah. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Torah on our minds and writing it in our hearts. There are many other verses that say similar things, so 2 Corinthians 3:6 needs to be interpreted in a way that is in accordance with them rather than a way that contradicts them. If obeying the letter refers to correctly doing what God has instructed, and if that leads to death, then God would be misleading us and shouldn't be trusted.
And by "Torah" which one? The Babylonian or the Jerusalem Torah or the Chumash/Mishna?
Or maybe Chabad-a Remez, Pardes-maybe a Sod?

Still awaiting for you to respond.
J.
 
In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Torah brings life and a blessing
"I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity" Even covenant Israel had to choose!

This is referring to the blessing and cursing (cf. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-28).


Remember the choice is set in a covenant of grace. This is very similar to Wisdom Literature's idiom of the "two ways" (cf. Psalm 1; Prov. 4:10-19; Jer. 21:8; Matt. 7:13-14). Our choices show who we are! How we respond to life's inexplicable "in and outs" reveals our spiritual orientation! Eternal life has observable characteristics!

30:16-18 These verses are a summary of covenant conditions and consequences:

the responsibility (cf. Deut. 8:6; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9)
"to love the Lord," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 12, KB 17, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)
"walk in His ways," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 229, KB 246, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)
"keep His commandments," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal INFINITIVE)
the consequences of obedience
"you may live," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 310, KB 309, Qal PERFECT with waw)
"you may multiply," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 915, KB 1156, Qal PERFECT with waw)
"your God may bless you," Deut. 30:16 (BDB 138, KB 159, Piel PERFECT with waw)
the conditions and consequences of disobedience
if your heart turns away," Deut. 30:17 (BDB 815, KB 937, Qal IMPERFECT with waw)
"if you will not obey," Deut. 30:17; (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERFECT with waw)
idolatry
(1) drawn away (BDB 623, KB 673, Niphil PERFECT with waw)
(2) worship (BDB 1005, KB 295, Hishtaphel PERFECT with waw)
(3) serve (BDB 712, KB 773, Qal PERFECT with waw)
"you shall surely perish," Deut. 30:18 (BDB 1, KB 2, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Qal IMPERFECT of the same root, which expresses intensity)
"you shall not prolong your days," Deut. 30:18 (BDB 73, KB 88, Hiphil IMPERFECT)
Notice how Deut. 30:20 reinforces these covenant responsibilities so that the Patriarchal blessing can be fulfilled! This terminology is characteristic of Deuteronomy.



30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness" These witnesses were not unique to Israel's covenant, but are found in several ANE texts. These two permanent aspects of God's creation (cf. Gen. 1:1) function as God's two required witnesses (cf. Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Num. 35:30). This legal emphasis occurs several times in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1).



"So choose life in order that you may live" God has given humans the right and responsibility to make moral choices. It is part of His image and likeness in mankind (i.e., Gen.1:26-27)! The Hebrew VERB, "to choose" or "to elect," is used 70% of the time for mankind's choice (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 639). We must choose (cf. Ezek. 18:30-32).

"you and your descendants" Deuteronomy characteristically emphasizes the need to pass on the covenant history and responsibilities to the succeeding generations (cf. Deut. 4:9,10; 6:7,20-25; 11:19; 32:46).

Our children are affected by our lifestyle choices and instruction (cf. Exod. 20:5-6; Deut. 5:9-10; 7:9).

30:20 There is a series of Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTS which summarize the covenant:

responsibilities
loving
obeying
holding fast
consequences ‒ that you may dwell in the land
See note at Deut. 30:16-18. YHWH's covenant demanded an initial and a continual faith, love, obedience, and perseverance.

YHWH promised the land to Israel's patriarchs (cf. Gen. 12:7; 13:14-17; Deut. 9:4-6), but Israel must obey His covenant requirements or the land would be forfeited (cf. Deut. 11:31-32; 28:36,63-68; 30:19-20). The grace gift must be responded to and maintained!

Yes?
 
Imagine a man cutting the roots off all his plants, then declaring loudly, "the purpose of these plants is fruit!"
Aspects of God's nature are fruits of the Spirit and God's law is His instructions for how to testify about aspects of His nature, which is why the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey God's law (Ezekiel 36:26-27). In Romans 8:4-7, those who walk in the Spirit are contrasted with those who have minds set on the flesh who are enemies of God who refuse to submit to His law. In Galatians 5:19-23, everything listed as works of the flesh that are against the Spirit are also against God's law while all of the fruits of the Spirit are aspects of God's nature that are in accordance with it.

The Bible often uses the same terms to describe aspects of God's nature as it does to describe aspects of the nature of God, which again is because it is God's instructions for how to testify about those aspects of His nature, such as with it being holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), or with justice, mercy, and faithfulness being weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23). For example, by doing good works in obedience to God's law, we are testifying about God's goodness, which is why the bring glory to Him (Matthew 5:13-16).

Putting people back under bondage to the Law, is cutting off their roots to grow anything.
If God saved the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt in order to put them under bondage to His law, then it would be for bondage the God sets us free, however, Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that God sets us free. In Psalms 119:142, God's law is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of God's law that puts us into bondage while it is the truth that sets us free.

It is when we come out from under the Law that we bear the most fruits of holiness.
It is contradictory to think that the the way to bear fruit for God is by coming out from under the gift of His instructions for how to bear fruit for Him.

Because the Law is a self-righteous system of self-production, that never produces good in a sinner.
God is trustworthy, therefore His law is also trustworthy (Psalms 19:7), so the way to rely on God is by relying what God has instructed, and to speak against relying on what God has instructed is to speak against relying on God. Self-righteousness relies only on ourselves, so it is contradictory to think that we can become self-righteous by relying on what God has instructed. It is faith that produces good and obedience to God's law is that good.

But what we must do, is separate the means from the ends, and stop conflating the two as if they are one.
God's law was never given as a means of producing righteousness, so that was never the goal of the law.

Now, under grace, we produce the holy fruits the Law demands without needing to put ourselves under it.
In Psalms 119:29, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness by setting God's law before him, so that is what it means to be under grace and the way to produce the fruits that the law demands by being under it.
 
God's law was never given as a means of producing righteousness, so that was never the goal of the law.


Egggzackly. 🥚

Now if we just stayed logically consistent with this, everything would be blessed.

Because cursed is everyone under the Law.

I encourage a study of Paul's use of freedom from the Law, just print out those verses, and fast and pray on them all day.

To see the devil deceive people into legalistic self-righteous deluded fervor while becoming more and more bound to their own inadequacy:

It should move anyone with compassion to break those chains Christ died for.
 
Egggzackly. 🥚

Now if we just stayed logically consistent with this, everything would be blessed.

Because cursed is everyone under the Law.

I encourage a study of Paul's use of freedom from the Law, just print out those verses, and fast and pray on them all day.

To see the devil deceive people into legalistic self-righteous deluded fervor while becoming more and more bound to their own inadequacy:

It should move anyone with compassion to break those chains Christ died for.
The fact God's law was never given as a means of earning our righteousness does not mean that we aren't still obligated to obey it for the goals for which it was given.

In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, it says that God's law is not too difficult to obey and that obedience to it brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse, so choose life! Furthermore, Romans 10:5-8 references this passage as the word of faith that we proclaim and there are many other verses that repeatedly say that obedience to God's law is the way to be blessed.

Paul never spoke about being free from God's law, but he did speak about being free from sin, which is the transgression of God's law. The bottom line is that we must obey God rather than man, so if you think that Paul spoke against obeying God's law, then you should be quicker to disregard everything that he said than to disregard anything that God has commanded, though the reality is that Paul was a servant of God who never spoke about being free from God's law.

Is it your view that in the OT, the devil had the role of deceiving us into disobeying God?, but in the NT the devil has the role od deceiving us into obeying God? That's absurd.

Self-righteosness does not involve relying on anyone else, so it is contradictory to think that we can become self-righteous by relying on what God has instructed. If God is legalistic for giving the law as a gift to His people and Jesus is legalistic for setting a sinless example for us to follow of how to walk in obedience to it, then we should all be legalistic, but that is not what it means to be legalistic.

In Titus 2:14, it does not say that Jesus gave himself to free us from God's law, but in order to free us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works. So the freedom that we have in Christ is the freedom from sin, not the freedom to sin.
 
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